Unique American Folk and Outsider Art

Outsider Art in Europe

Just came back from England where folk art abounds! There is a wonderful show of British Folk Art at the Tate Gallery which is small but quite comprehensive, although they don’t have as many trade signs, weathervanes and whirlygigs as I would have liked. There is a growing awareness throughout the UK that they have some folk treasures. Dealer Robert Young has an incredible eye, and he and his wife Josyane took a booth at Masterpiece London which contained some terrific pieces. I just had to purchase a few for Just Folk, which we will be bringing to the Metro Show in January! Although Just Folk started our collection with Americana and American Folk Art, we have added a few pieces from England and France which look like they belong and correspond to our sensibilities! Two wonderful collage pieces from the 19th Century, an old game board similar to darts, and a huge wooden scissors trade sign came home with me to Summerland! There is also a big interest in Outsider Art and Self-Taught Art in Europe. The new Raw Vision Magazine has a feature on Bill Traylor who is near and dear to us, as you know. The whole international scene seems to be embracing raw art, art brut, primitive art, visionary art. There is a wonderful exhibit at Los Angeles Country Museum of Art with the works of Sam Doyle. It takes some patience to locate it at the museum, but is very worth seeing. So many of the works we feature at Just Folk are done by African American Artists like Doyle (William Hawkins,Jesse Aaron, Thornton Dial, Purvis Young and Ronald Lockett among them.) The freshness, spontaneity, and artistry are amazing. So glad many others are becoming aware of this 20th century artwork.